Student Profile: Peyton Brady '24

Meet Peyton Brady '24! Peyton is a boarding student from Wilmington, NC and has been at Rabun Gap since the 8th grade. She is an honor roll student, competes for our varsity volleyball team, and is a part of the Spanish Club and Broadcast Entertainment Club. Peyton has been announcing for Rabun Gap Athletics since her freshman year - you can hear her play-by-play commentary for many of our athletic games, works at a local radio station, and has expanded her broadcasting reach to some of the Rabun County High School varsity sports. She is a very active member of the community and can be seen cheering on her classmates at various athletic events and getting involved in activities all over campus. 

Why did you choose to attend Rabun Gap?

I chose to attend Rabun Gap to give myself an experience I would not receive at home. I am so lucky to have had this opportunity to meet new people and learn from so many amazing peers, faculty, and teachers. 

Rabun Gap is special to me because of the many opportunities I have had during my time here. I quickly learned to step out of my comfort zone which resulted in me thriving in this environment. 

This school year I am enrolled in Artificial Intelligence as my science class. This class has forced me to think out of the box and explore concepts that are new to me. While I have struggled- my teacher Dr. Renken and all of my peers in that course have been more than willing to help and support me and other students throughout the school year. 

Some of my favorite memories from Rabun Gap are snow days. It is always amazing to have a day off that is stress free. Everyone comes together to enjoy being outside and playing as one community. 

I am a part of Spanish Club, Broadcast Entertainment Club, and Varsity Volleyball. Also I broadcast Rabun Gap Varsity sports, in addition to select Rabun County High School Varsity Sports. I love participating in Spanish Club because I am able to use my skills I learn in my Spanish class and apply them elsewhere. Playing Volleyball with my team is always a highlight of my school year. We have built an amazing family during my time at Rabun Gap. I have seen so many of the younger girls grow as people and players and can say I have done the same. Furthermore, I started broadcasting for Rabun Gap Athletics as a freshman and have continued to fall in love with the industry as a whole ever since. It brings me so much joy, especially when hearing listeners' feedback! I hope to interest others in broadcasting in order to build a program and leave a legacy at Rabun Gap. 

During this past season I suffered an injury which resulted in me being unable to play for the first week and a half of the regular season. I was devastated not being able to start the season with my team although loved seeing them succeed and building up the anticipation to get back out on the court along side them. With that being said one of the most exciting volleyball games for me was my first game back after injury. We played the Anderson Cavaliers. The energy we brought to the away gym was so amazing! Not only did we play amazing as a team but individually every player played an outstanding game. We ended up defeated Anderson in 3 sets and had such a fun bus ride back to campus in celebration. 

My favorite class is Spanish 4 Honors. As I reflect I can confidently say my Spanish skills overall have improved drastically because of this class and Mrs. Monica Ponce Risa. We work to apply Spanish into day to day life and improve our conversational skills which has been very beneficial for me and my peers. 

So many Rabun Gap teachers and coaches have had huge, positive impacts on me during my time here. Some of which being Coach Kennedy, Mr. Linsley, Ms. Drabik, and Coach Cohea. All of these people have taught me how to lead by example and push me to my fullest potential. 

As a boarding student, I have so many peer and teacher resources around me constantly. Whether I need homework help, advice, or even a snack I always have someone I can go to. Irene Dorm has been such an amazing place to live filled with life long friendships. 

I would urge any prospective student to fully embrace being surrounded by such a diverse group of people. Immerse yourself in the many amazing opportunities Rabun Gap has to offer in order to set you up for success beyond high school. 

My time at Rabun Gap has forced me to be independent in decision making. I have learned to take up on opportunities and strive to be the best, most successful version of myself. Not only that but Rabun Gap has taught me to positively impact and encourage the people around me which is something I hope to carry with me throughout my future.